Dhigurah Thila * * * Dhigurah Thila is the biggest thila
in the channel and is almost an underwater extension of Dhigurah Falhu. It is also the
most visible thila from the surface. The long sausage-shaped thila is about 500 metres
long At the eastern end of the reef is a big rocky outcrop. It looks to have once been a cave that has now collapsed. At this end are greater concentrations of pelagic fish with many tuna and shark. Emperor angelfish, both juvenile and adult, are commonly seen all along the reef slope. There are also large numbers of big-nose unicornfish, and scribbled filefish as well as massive schools of blue-dash and yellow-back fusilier. There is healthy coral on the reef top and soft coral hanging off the ledges. Beacuse of its large size, this thila is given preference over the other thilas in the channel when weather or current conditions are marginal. |
with the best diving on the
north eastern side. The reef edge is at 10 metres and for most of the reef there are
overhangs begining at 15 metres that step down in tiers to the bottom at about 30 metres.
There are at least three caves, one is at a depth of 18 metres and is 50 metres in length.
It has a deep cut like someone has sliced into the reef with a knife. Inside, on the floor
of the cave is a forest of long seawhips, seafans and black coral bushes with bright
yellow featherstars. In the caves are many smaller species of wrasse, cardinalfish and
tiny shrimp.